For visually impaired people, the world can be a challenging place, including challenges associated with going to dinner or a park in an unfamiliar town such as immediate challenges of curbs, doors, trees, and more importantly, risks due to moving people and cars. A number of solutions introduced over the years aide the visually impaired in safely navigating their environment. Tapping walking sticks are used to avoid immediate obstacles in the path of the visually impaired such as doors, trees, and locating curbs. Seeing eye dogs provide “eyes” and sight to avoid obstacles and risks such as moving vehicles and people.
The development of cell phones with GPS and audible communication of directions has helped the visually impaired with the location of specific buildings or other identified geographic locations. The availability of real-time verbal directions from GPS devices such as “turn left in 100 feet” or even better, “you have reached your destination” has improved the ability of the visually impaired to navigate in new and unfamiliar territory.